Tension for a winding machine



July 8, 1958 J. v. KEITH TENSION FOR A WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet -1Original Filed May 4, 1951 JNVENTOR. JOHN M KEITH A TTORNE Y y 1958 J.v. KEITH 2,842,321

TENSION FOR A WINDING MACHINE Original Filed May 4. 1951 4 4Sheets-Sheet 2 I IN V EN TOR.

JOHN V KEITH ATTOPNE Y y 1958 J. v. KEITH 2,842,321

ENsIoN FORA WINDING MACHINE Original Filed May 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet sINVENTOR. JOHN M KEITH AT TORNE Y J ly 8, 19 J. v. KEITH 2,842,321

TENSION FOR A WINDING MACHINE Original Filed May 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet4 376 see 332 E 5?,330 A /336 356 374 380 3 2 L 82 \T' 330 22 328 see328 ass 7 i j 132 i are fit *m 3/8" 33 o 356 3I9\ I fb 382 2 fl A I 378Fi -7 INVENTOR. JOHN M. KEITH BY ATTORNEY 7 TENSION non A wiNurNoMACHINE John V. Keith, Warwick, R. 1., assignor to Universal WindingCompany, Cranston, R. L, a corporation of Massachusetts 2 Claims. (Cl.242-45) The present invention relates to a device for applying tensionto a running strand of yarn and more particularly relates to a tensionapplying device that is self cleaning. The present invention is adivision of my copending application Serial No. 224,491, filed May 4,1951, now Patent 2,740,589 for Winding Machine.

In the following specification and claims the term yarn is employed in ageneral sense to apply to all kinds of strand materials, either textileor otherwise, and the designation package is intended to mean theproduct of the machine whatever its form.

One object of the present invention is to provide a self-cleaning yarntensioning mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a yarn tensioningmechanism having a movable element adapted to discharge accumulations offoreign matter therefrom. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a yarn tensioningmechanism having a rotating element adapted to discharge foreign mattertherefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machinehaving a self-cleaning yarn tensioning mechanism driven by said windingmachine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machineadapted to actuate a self-cleaning yarn tensioning mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing theconstruction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which areexemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is an elevation illustrating a winding machine, having threewinding units thereon, incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of one of the winding units;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but shows the Winding unit in itsinoperative position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view with parts broken away showingdetails of the starting lever;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the tension means and showing the tensionmeans in its inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the tension means inoperative position; and

Fig. 7 is a view of the other side of the tension mechanism and showingsaid mechanism in operative position- The present invention comprises atension device for applying a predetermined tension to a running strandof yarn and is primarily intended for use in conjunction with a windingmachine. The tension device is a magnetic type tension capable ofautomatic adjustment by the apparatus as the package being woundincreases in diameter to provide a differential tension, i. e. aconstantly decreasing tension from the start of the winding cycle to itsend. The tension mechanism is provided with a self-cleaning pressureplate in the form of a rotatable disk having a plurality of groovesformed in its face. The disk is constantly rotated at a uniform rate ofspeed whereby foreign matter carried into the tension applying portionof the mechanism by the yarn are collected in the grooves and carriedout of the tension applying portion and discharged before they canaccumulate to an extent suflicient to interfere with the function of thetension.

The apparatus of the present invention is shown coopcrating with aplurality of winding units 10 adapted to be mounted on a bed formed fromtwo parallel horizontal bars 12 supported by legs 14, and each of thewinding units has one of the tension applying devices which comprise thepresent invention associated therewith. All of the winding units andtension devices on a side are driven by a single motor 16. A shelf 15extends longitudinally of the apparatus supported by legs 14 and servesas a support for the supplies of yarn to be wound by the winding units.

Inasmuch as all of the winding units and tension devices comprising thepresent invention are similar, only one such unit will be explained indetail. Each winding unit j comprises a rotatable spindle adapted toreceive a package core or yarn holder 18 and a traverse mechanism 20adapted to traverse a strand of yarn longitudinally of the core 18 towind a package of yarn thereon.

Traverse mechanism 20, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is carried by a bracket 22which is secured to the front rail 12 of the bed or table in such amanner that said traverse mechanism projects forwardly therefrom. Thewinding spindle is rotatably journaled in housing 36 adjacent the upperend thereof. Housing 36 is pivotally mounted at its lower end onhorizontal bars 12,by means of shaft 38 to permit it and the windingspindle to swing towards and away from traverse mechanism 20.

A starting lever or handle is pivotally mounted on the right hand end ofbracket 22, Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Start:

ing handle 80 is spring urged in an upward or clockwise direction, asviewed in Figs. .2, 3 and 4 by means of a helical spring 96. Handle 80is connected to a clutch, in a manner explained in detail in my abovementioned copending application Serial No. 224,491, now Patent 2,740,589so that when it is depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, the clutch is engagedto connect the winding spindle and traverse mechanism to motor 16 tostart the winding operation and upon being moved to its raised position,as shown in Fig. 3, the clutch is disengaged to stop the windingoperation.

A latch member 98, Figs. 2 and 3, is pivotally mounted intermediate itsends on the lower edge of bracket 22 by means of a stud and its springurged to rotate in a counterclockwise direction by means of a spring102. The upper end of latchmember 98 is bent over to form a latchshoulder 104 adapted to engage over a keeper member 106 formed on theback side of starting handle 80 by the head of stud 108. Latch shoulder104 is of sufiicient length so that keeper member 106 bears against itssurface when starting handle- 80 is in its uppermost position asillustrated in Fig. 3. When starting handle 80 is depressed to cause theclutch mechanism to engage to start the winding unit, keeper 106 slidesdownwardly along the face of latch shoulder 104 until link 92 engagespin 91 at which time keeper member 106 passes below latch shoulder 104and spring 102 rotates latch member 98 to move said shoulder 104 oversaid keeper member to thereby hold starting lever 80 in the operatingposition.

Means are provided for automatically releasing latch shoulder104 fromkeeper member'106 upon the breakage or exhaustion of the yarn beingwound. The releasing means comprises an inverted Y-shaped lever 110pivoted intermediate its ends by means of stud 112 to latch member 98 insuch a manner that upward movement of said Y-shaped lever 110 willrotate said latch member 98 in a clockwise direction to move latchshoulder 104 off from keeper member 106. The upper arm 114 of Y-shapedlever 110 is provided with an elongated slot 116 which fits loosely overstud 108 to permit limited pivotal movement of said Y-shaped lever in amanner to be described hereinafter. The uppermost end of upper arm 114is provided with an arcuate slot 118 adapted to adjustably hold abalancing weight 120. The lower right hand arm 122 of Y-shaped lever 110is provided with a forwardly extending yarn engaging bar 124 adapted toengage the strand of yarn Y being wound on package core 18 to permitsaid strand of yarn to hold said Y-shaped lever against clockwiserotation. The lower left hand arm 126 of Y-shaped lever 110 is providedat its end with an abutment 128 formed by bending over the end of saidarm. Abutment 128 is adapted to pass under one of the teeth on toothedwheel 130, carried by shaft 132, upon the breakage or exhaustion of thestrand of yarn Y which permits Y-shaped lever 110 to pivot in aclockwise direction within the limits of slot 116. Toothed wheel 130 isrotated by shaft 132 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the left ofFig. 2 or Fig. 3, i. e. the front of wheel 130 is moved downwardly andthe back upwardly. The lower left hand arm 126 of lever 110 is locatedin back of shaft 132; therefore when abutment 128 is engaged by one ofthe teeth on toothed wheel 130 rotation of said wheel lifts lever 110 tothereby rotate latch member 98 in a clockwise direction to release latchshoulder 104 from keeper member 106. Immediately upon the release ofkeeper 106 from latch shoulder 104 starting handle 80 swings upwardlyunder the influence of its spring 96 causing stud 108 to move upwardlyin elongated slot 116. Elongated slot 116 is so shaped that the upwardmovement of stud 108 therein swings lever 110 in a small amount in acounterclockwise direction to disengage abutment 128 from toothed wheel130 and to hold said abutment thus disengaged.

A depending arm 134 forming a part of a tension control mechanism and aspeed regulating mechanism, to be explained in detail hereinafter, isadjustably mounted on the front of housing 36 adjacent shaft 38. Thelower end of depending arm 134 is bent over to form a lug 136 which isadapted to engage the lowermost end 138 of latch member 98 to disengagelatch shoulder 104 from keeper member 106 when the package being woundhas reached its predetermined desired size.

The novel tension applying mechanism of the present invention is capableof applying a differential tension as the yarn package increases indiameter and is selfcleaning. Horizontal shaft 132 which drives toothedwheel 130, used in connection with the knockoff mechanism, for stoppingthe individual winding units upon the breakage or exhaustion of thestrand of yarn being wound, is also employed to drive the self-cleaningtension disk employed in the tension mechanism. Shaft 132 is supportedand suitably journaled by hanger members, to be explained in detailhereinafter, forming a part of each tension unit. Shaft 132 is driven bymotor 16 through the medium of a belt 310 driven by idler pulley 254.Belt 310 in turn drives pulley 312, Fig. 1, carried by the input shaftof a speed reducing unit 314. The output shaft of speed reducing unit314 carries a sprocket wheel which drives shaft 132 by means of sprocketchain 316 and a sprocket wheel carried by said shaft 132.

The individual tension applying units, Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, eachinclude a bracket 318, carried by the front horizontal bar 12 andlocated beneath the package core 12 Shaft 132 is supported and suitablyjournaled throughout the length of the apparatus by means of a forwardlyextending hanger member 319 carried by bracket 318. A rotatable tensiondisk 320, formed from nonmagnetic material, is mounted for rotation on astub shaft 322 carried by one end of an arm 324 pivotally connected tothe lower end of bracket 318 by means of pivot pin 326. The periphery oftension disk 320 carries a rubber driving ring or tire 328 adapted tocontact the periphery of a driving wheel 330 carried by shaft 132. Atension disk operating yoke 332 is mounted on shaft 132 for pivotalmovement therearound. Yoke 332 is adapted to be pivoted by startinghandle by means of a rod 334 having its upper end engaged in an openingin said starting handle 80 and its lower end engaged in a slot 336 inyoke 332. Yoke 332 is operatively connected to arm 324 by means of rod338 which has its upper end engaged in an opening in yoke 332 and itslower end passing through an opening in said arm 324 and adapted to liftsaid arm and tension disc 320 by means of compression spring 340interposed between the end of said rod 338 and the under surface of arm324. Downward motion of starting handle 80 moves rod 334 downwardly tobring its lower end into engagement with the lower end of slot 336 onyoke 332, whereupon continued downward movement of said starting handlerotates said yoke in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6.Clockwise rotation of yoke 332 lifts rod 338 to pivot arm 324 upwardlyto bring rubber driving ring 328 carried by the periphery of tensiondisk 320 into engagement with the periphery of driving wheel 330 carriedby shaft 132. Contact of rubber driving ring 328 with driving wheel 330causes said driving wheel to rotate said tension disk to maintain thetension mechanism free from dirt and other foreign matter that may becarried thereinto by the running strand of yarn Y. Upward movement ofstarting handle 80 to release the clutch mechanism and thus stop theoperation of the winding unit pivots yoke 332 in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6 to move tension disk 320 away fromdriving Wheel 330 to stop the rotation of said tension disk.

A tension plate 342 is held closely adjacent to one surface of tensiondisk 320 by means of arm 344, Fig. 7. Tension plate 342 is held looselyon arm 344 by means of a pin 346 attached to the back of said tensionplate 342 and approximately on its center line to permit said plate tooscillate on said arm and to be drawn into contact with the adjacentface of tension disk 320 by magnetic means to be described hereinafter.An oscillation limiting member 348 having a-pair of spaced outwardlyturned abutments 350 and 352 formed on its upper edge is attached to theback surface of tension plate 342 beneath pin 346 and is so located onsaid tension plate 342 that the abutments 350 and 352 can contact thelower edge of arm 344 to limit the amount that said plate can oscillate.Tension plate 342 is located between the axis of tension disk 320 andits periphery so that rotation of said tension disk causes the entiresurface thereof covered by tension plate 342 to be constantly changing.The strand of yarn Y being wound passes between tension disk 320 andtension plate 342 to have applied thereto a predetermined tension bymeans of a magnet to be described hereinafter. A plurality of radialgrooves 354 are formed in the face of tension disk 320 which contactstension plate 342 to collect dirt and other foreign matter drawn betweentension plate 342 and tension disk 320 by the running strand of yarn Yand to carry such foreign matter out from between said two members. I

-A fixed shaft 356 extends forwardly from hanger member 319 andpivotally carries U-shaped magnet holder 358. A permanent magnet 360 iscarried by magnet holder 358 and is located by said holder opposite theupper portion of tension plate 342 and on the opposite side of tensiondisk 320 from said tension plate. Inasmuch as tension disk 320 is formedfrom a nonmagnetic material the lines of flux from magnet 360 passthrough said disk and draw tension plate 342 against the surface of disk320 and the strand of yarn therebetween. It will be seen that the forcewith which tension plate 342 is held against tension disk 320 and thestrand of yarn Y can be varied to increase said force by moving magnet360 closer to tension disk 320 and conversely the force can be decreasedby moving magnet 360 away from said disk. Means are provided for readilyadjusting the location of magnet 360 with respect to tension plate 320and also for moving said magnet away from said disk as the package beingwound increases in diameter to thereby cause the strand of yarn Y to bewound under a decreasing tension as it increases in diameter.

Differential tension controlling arm 294 is pivotally mounted on bushingor sleeve 292 and is held against rotation thereon relative to housing36 by means of bolts 280 and 304. Arm 294 is provided with an arcuateslot 306 which adjustably carries one end of a tension actuating link308. As housing 36 pivots around shaft 38 as the winding packageincreases in diameter it swings arm 294 and link 308 towards the tensionmechanism. The other end of link 308 is pivotally connected to the endof lever 362, Figs. 2 and 3, which is fast upon one end of shaft 364,Figs. 5 and 6. Shaft 364 is suitably journaled in a pair of lugsextending from the side of hanger 319. The other end of shaft 364 has alever 366 fixedly attached thereto and which has a cam'slot 368 formedtherein. Magnet adjusting plate 370 is pivotally carried adjacent itsupper end by shaft 356 and is adjustably secured to one side of U-shapedmagnet holder 358 by means of a bolt and nut 372 which passes through ahole in the side of magnet holder 358 and an arcuate slot in magnetadjusting plate 370. It will, therefore, be seen that the initialposition of magnet 360 with respect to tension disk 320 can beestablished by loosening bolt and nut 372, locating said magnet in itsdesired starting position and tightening said bolt and nut. A camfollowing roller 374 carried by magnet adjusting plate 370 engages camslot 368 in lever 366 so that movement of said lever 366 will pivot saidadjusting plate 370, U-shaped magnet holder 358 and magnet 360. As thewinding cycle progresses and differential tension controlling arm 294swings in a clockwise direction link 308 is moved from right to left asviewed in Figs. 2 and 3. This movement of link 308 rotates lever 362 ina counterclockwise direction and lever 362 acting through shaft 364rotates lever 366 in the same direction. The counterclockwise rotationof lever 366 acting through cam slot 368 and cam follower 374 pivotsmagnet adjusting plate 370 and with it magnet holder 358 and magnet 360away from tension disk 320 to decrease the tension applied to therunning strand of yarn Y as the package increases in diameter. The rateat which magnet 360 is moved away from tension disk 320 and the totaldistance which it is moved during a winding cycle can be adjusted bymoving the location of the end of link 308 in arcuate slot 306.

The tension mechanism is provided with yarn guiding means to facilitatethreading the apparatus, and to guide the strand of yarn Y as thepackage is being wound so that it passes between tension disk 320 andtension plate 342. A forwardly extending yarn engaging bar 376 iscarried by the upper edge of hanger member 319 with one of its edges insubstantially the same plane as the yarn slot is formed in the bottomlegof an L-sh'aped plate 380 which extends beneath tension disk 320 andtension plate 342. L-shaped plate 380 is supportedby an angular member382 having one of itsends attached to the bottom of bracket 318 and itsotherend attached to the end of shaft 356. A curved yarn threading guide384 is attached to the angular member 382 adjacent shaft 356 and is'soshaped that it covers the forward edge of tension disk 320 to guide thestrand of yarn Y between said disk 320 and tension plate 342 when thetension is being threaded. A curved rod 386 also is positioned infrontof the forward edge of tension disk 320 by having its upper end attachedto forwardly extending yarn engaging bar 376 and its lower end attachedto the bottom leg 378 of the L-shaped plate 380. In threading thetension mechanism the strand of yarn is moved rearwardly on the righthand side of curved rod 386, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, and broughtinto engagement with curved yarn threading guide 384 which guides itbetween tension disk 320 and tension plate 342. The strand of yarnbeneath the tension is then moved rearwardly to cause the lower portionof curved rod 386 to guide the strand of yarn into the yarn guiding slotformed in the bottom leg 378 of L-shaped plate 380.

The apparatus of the present invention is threaded preparatory tostarting the winding cycle by placing a supply of yarn on shelf 15,passing the strand of yarn Y between tension disk 320 and tension plate342 of the tension assembly and between forwardly extending yarnengaging bars 376 of the tension assembly and 124 of the stop mechanismand attaching it to the core or yarn holder 18. Starting handle is thendepressed to start the operation of the winding spindle and traversemechanism and to bring latch shoulder 104 on latch member 98 over keepermember 106 carried by starting handle 80 to latch said handle in itslowered or operating position. Lowering starting handle 80 moves rod 334connected thereto downwardly to lift tension disk 320 to bring itsperiphery into contact with driving wheel 330 carried by shaft 132 tothereby rotate said tension disk to permit the radial grooves 354 formedin said disk to collect dirt and other foreign matter carried into thetension by the running strand of yarn and remove it therefrom before ithas an opportunity to build up to an extent suflicient to affect thefunctioning of the tension. As the winding package increases in diameterhousing 36 and diiferential tension controlling arm 294 swing in aclockwise direction and arm 294 moves tension actuating link 308 topivot lever 366 carrying cam slot 368 by means of lever 362 connected tolink 308 and shaft 364 which carries lever 366. Movement of cam slot 368swings permanent magnet 360 away from the back of tension disk 320 bymeans of magnet adjusting plate 370 which engages said cam slot and isconnected to U-shaped magnet holder 358.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a winding machine the combination comprising a winding spindleadapted to hold a package core, means for traversing a strand of yarnalong said package core, a source of power for rotating said spindle andoperating said traversing means, a shaft rotated by said source ofpower, a tension disk adapted to be rotated by said shaft, a tensionplate, and means adapted to urge said tension plate against said tensiondisk to cause said disk and plate to bear against a strand of yarnfeeding therebetween.

2. In a winding machine the combination comprising a winding spindleadapted to hold a package core, means for traversing a strand of yarnalong said package core,

a.-source of power for rotatingsaid spindle and operating saidtraversing ,means,.a shaft rotatedby said source of power, a.tensiondisk, means. for moving said. tension disk to .bring itspen'pherywintocontact withsaid rotating shaft whereby said disk1isrotatedby saidshaft, a tension plate, and. meansadapted to urge said tension plateagainst said tensionv disk to cause said disk and plate to bear againsta strand of yarn therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSHasbrouck Feb. 9, 1932 Reiners Feb. 4, 1936 Swanson Dec. 16, 1947Kingsbury Aug. 16, 1949 Ammerall Oct. 21, 1952

